Historic Boston, and Bethany Overwhelmed
Whenever I am overwhelmed, I fall back on an exercise from Heather Sellers’s Page after Page. List 10 items that you experienced, in ALL CAPS.
1. EAVESDROPPED ON TWO TOURS AT THE ROBERT GOULD SHAW MEMORIAL
2. TOOK PICTURES OF MARY DYER’S STATUE IN FRONT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE
3. SAT IN KING’S CHAPEL
4. SPENT AN HOUR IN THE KING’S CHAPEL BURYING GROUND (LOTS OF PICTURES)
5. JOINED ANOTHER TOUR AT THE SITE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL AND STATUE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
6. THE OLD CORNER BOOKSTORE — ONCE TICKNOR AND FIELDS (PUBL OF THE SCARLET LETTER) AND NOW A CHIPOTLE GRILL
7. OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE (WHERE THE BOSTON TEA PARTY BEGAN)
8. VISITED THE MUSEUM AT THE BOSTON MASSACRE SITE
9. GAVE A DOLLAR TO A PHILLIS WHEATLEY “LIVE STATUE” AND RECEIVED A WORD OF WISDOM
10. ATE A HOT SUB SANDWICH AT POTBELLY’S
And so much more… The next step is to freewrite for 10 minutes on one topic. (Again, in ALL CAPS.) An alternative is to list 10 subtopics on a topic.
The capital letters are an effort to get you out of your right mind and into your left by doing something different.
okay, I’ll bite. Why in the world are you feeling overwhelmed?
Because (could it be that?) you are having SO MUCH FUN!?
Too much and too fast! It’s great though to be at the Gell Center. I’m in woods all alone (okay, a little creepy). And doing really good work on the novel. No worries.
This sounds like an interesting exercise. It’s a good thing you’re in Boston where there’s a lot to see and do that you can put on your list.
I could put 50 things on the list, I’m sure. But it was good to get 10 things down!
We did not write ten things in caps, but we did write yesterday in Gray Wolf Hall. Missing you and imagining you writing in the woods.
Sounds like the big LETTERS. bring all things into perspective. What a good idea!